Dianthus plant named ‘Pomegranate Kiss’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks,  Dianthus  plant named ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ with long-blooming, fragrant, highly-double flowers, petals with a deep magenta base and irregular rose pink splashing in the center or petal margins.  Dianthus  ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ is tolerant of high temperatures and resists high temperatures and center die-out.

Botanical denomination: Dianthus hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Pomegranate Kiss’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus or Pinks from the genus Dianthus and given the cultivar name ‘Pomegranate Kiss’. The new plant was the result of an intentional cross in May of 2006 by Kevin A. Hurd between ‘Double Spotty’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,884 as the seed parent and ‘Eastern Star’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,437 (also known as ‘Red Dwarf’) as the pollen parent. The new hybrid was first isolated from trials at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. during the summer of 2007. Dianthus ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ has been asexually propagated at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. using traditional shoot tip cutting procedures and found to reproduce plants that are identical and exhibit all the identical characteristics of the original plant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment including: growing temperature, available sunlight, nutrients, water, etc. without a change in the genotype of the plant. The new plant is distinct from its parents and all other Dianthus known to the applicant in the following combined traits:

-   -   1. Double flowers with high petal counts.     -   2. Unique floral color pattern.     -   3. High heat tolerance.     -   4. Floriferous habit.     -   5. Vigorous growth and excellent habit.     -   6. Compact, fine-textured, blue-green foliage.

Cultivar Comparison Table Flower Flower Cultivar color Flower pattern size ‘Apple Slice’ application pink dark wine edge 4.5 cm No. 12/462,743 and rim ‘Black Cherry Wild’ burgundy solid 4.0 cm application No. 12/462,742 ‘Coconut Punch’ white burgundy edge 3.5 cm application No. with white rim 12/462,744 ‘Double Spotty’ U.S. burgundy white picotee edge 4.0 cm Plant Pat. No. 13,884 and white spots ‘Dragon Fruit’ fuchsia red jagged purple 3.5 cm application No. pink bar 12/462,745 ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ burgundy Irregular pink 3.2 cm application No. splashing on 12/462,746 margin or center ‘Cranberry Ice’ U.S. pink dark wine edge 3.3 cm Plant Pat. No. 18,342 and rim ‘Devon Siskin’ U.S. light pink magenta edge with 4.0 cm Plant Pat. No. 14,377 burgundy base ‘Feuerhexe’ (not pink solid 4.0 cm patented) ‘Devon Xera’ U.S. Plant red crimson eye 3.0 cm Pat. No. 14,895 Red Dwarf’ U.S. Plant red crimson eye 3.5 cm Pat. No. 14,437 ‘Sangria Splash’ fuchsia crimson ring with 3.0 cm application No. pink pink splashing and 12/462,741 center ‘Spangled Star’ U.S. scarlet small white spots 4.0 cm Plant Pat. No. 13,029 red and white picotee edge Petal Plant Cultivar margin Petal # height in flower ‘Apple Slice’ application dark wine 20 to 24 22 cm No. 12/462,743 margin ‘Black Cherry Wild’ light rose 16 to 20 22 cm application No. margin 12/462,742 ‘Coconut Punch’ reddish 14 to 30 28 cm application No. purple 12/462,744 margin ‘Double Spotty’ U.S. white 15 to 20 17 to 30 cm Plant Pat. No. 13,884 ‘Dragon Fruit’ self 14 to 22 20 cm application No. 12/462,745 ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ irregular 16 to 22 16 cm application No. pink 12/462,746 splashing ‘Cranberry Ice’ U.S. dark wine 5 20 to 25 cm Plant Pat. No. 18,342 margin ‘Devon Siskin’ U.S. magenta 5 10 cm Plant Pat. No. 14,377 edge ‘Feuerhexe’ (not self 5 10 to 12 cm patented) ‘Devon Xera’ U.S. Plant self 5 15 to 20 cm Pat. No. 14,895 Red Dwarf’ U.S. Plant self 5 20 to 25 cm Pat. No. 14,437 ‘Sangria Splash’ crimson 5 30 cm application No. with pink 12/462,741 splashing ‘Spangled Star’ U.S. white 5 17 to 27 cm Plant Pat. No. 13,029 picotee edge

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new invention demonstrate the overall appearance of the plant including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Some slight variation of color may occur as a result of lighting quality, intensity, wavelength, direction or reflection.

FIG. 1 shows the new two-year old plant in flower.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flower and bud.

FIG. 3 shows the dissected flower of the new plant together with capsule and seeds.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description of the new plant is based on observations of several two-year old plants in open-field, full-sun conditions in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental watering, light additions of fertilizer and free of other plant growth regulators. All color usage is in reference to the 2001 edition of The Royal Horticultural Colour Chart except where common dictionary terms are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrid; -   Parentage: ‘Double Spotty’ (female) times ‘Eastern Star’ (male); -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Cespitose, herbaceous, evergreen perennial; stems             proximally branched, erect; height of foliage about 12 cm             and 35 cm across; height with flowers is about 16 cm; Root             system; fibrous. -   Foliage:     -   -   Leaf type.—Simple, linear, opposite, decussate, sessile,             glabrous, glaucous on adaxial and abaxial; acute apex; base             decurrent, adpressed along stem and somewhat perfoliate; no             fragrance detected.         -   Leaf dimensions.—About 3.5 cm long and 2.5 mm wide.         -   Leaf color.—Nearest RHS 119B adaxial and abaxial sides.         -   Venation.—Finely reticulate, coloration same as that of leaf             top and bottom.         -   Stems.—Erect to arching, terete, glabrous, glaucous,             proximally branching at 2 to 3 nodes.         -   Stem size.—About 16 cm long and 2 mm wide at base.         -   Stem color.—Nearest RHS 122B.         -   Branching.—Numerous from lower leaf axils; about 200 per             plant.         -   Nodes.—3 mm across, RHS N147D.         -   Internodes.—3.5 cm apart. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Terminal, cymose, erect.         -   Flowers per stem.—Usually 3.         -   Pedicel.—Glaucous, glabrous, terete.         -   Pedicel size.—Usually 2 cm long and 2 mm diameter.         -   Pedicel color.—Nearest RHS 122A. -   Flowers:     -   -   Type.—Salviform, completely double, symmetrical.         -   Dimension.—About 3.2 cm across and extending about 1.5 cm             above calyx.         -   Flower bud shape.—Rhomboid to ovoid.         -   Flower bud size one day prior to opening.—About 1.7 cm long             and 0.7 cm wide.         -   Flower bud color.—Glaucous, between RHS 141B and RHS 141C             with anthocyanin patches between RHS 187B and RHS N187B.         -   Flower period.—Beginning late May and flowering until frost             in the fall with a short 2 week rest after the initial bust.         -   Flower lasting quality.—About one week on or off the plant.         -   Flower fragrance.—Light, sweet spicy, clove-like.         -   Petals.—16 to 22, consisting of a rounded blade or limb and             a claw (enclosed completely within the calyx), obovate, apex             dentate with dentations 3 mm deep, bearded with minute hairs             mostly on the center of the adaxial surface, bent outwardly             to nearly a ninety degree angle; deep magenta-colored limb             base on adaxial side with an irregular pink splashing on             margin or in center.         -   Petal color.—Adaxial limb: deep magenta limb darker RHS 59A,             irregular pink margin and limb center splashing between RHS             63A and RHS 58A; adaxial claw: nearest RHS N144C; abaxial             limb: Nearest RHS 64A with irregular lighter spots or margin             of nearest RHS 63B; abaxial claw: Nearest RHS N144D.         -   Dimension.—Variable, 2.8 cm long including claw and limb;             larger petal limb to 1.2 cm across and 1.5 cm long, smaller             limbs to 3 mm across and 6 mm long; claws range from 0.7 cm             to 1.5 cm long and 2 mm to 6 mm wide about 3 mm from limb.         -   Calyx.—Glabrous, glaucous, five-toothed corolla tube fused             in proximal 1.3 cm; about 1.7 cm long and 0.8 cm in             diameter; RHS 147D with anthocyanin tinting of RHS N77C.         -   Peduncle.—Glabrous, glaucous, terete, 16 cm long and 2 mm             diameter; RHS N138D with anthocyanin of RHS N77C.         -   Bracts.—Two, opposite, broadly obtuse with rounded apex,             about 7 mm long and 10 mm wide; RHS N138C in the center,             lighter than RHS 138D at base and margins.         -   Bracteoles.—Two, opposite, lanceolate, sharply acute apex,             bases joined at stem; about 10 mm long and 4 mm wide;             glaucous, RHS N138C at apex and center, lighter than RHS             138D at base and margins.         -   Androecium.—Stamens usually 10, filaments variable in length             from 0.7 to 2.0 cm long, less than 1 mm diameter; pale green             lighter than RHS 11D; anther oblong to 3.2 mm long and 1.0             mm wide, RHS 11C; pollen rare, pollen color RHS 11D.         -   Gynoecium.—Style split in two above ovary, pistil 2 cm long             and about 1 mm diameter, lighter than RHS 11D except for             distal 8 mm which are gradually darken to RHS N79C; stigma             RHS N79B.         -   Ovary.—Superior, ovoid; 8 mm long and 3 mm wide; RHS 145A at             distal end and between RHS 145 D and RHS 145 C at proximal             end. -   Seed: Seed has not been observed; -   Capsule: Ovoid to cylindrical, opening by 4 teeth, about 2 cm long     and 8.5 mm diameter, between RHS 197B and RHS 197 C; -   Comparison varieties: The new plant is distinct from its parents and     all other dianthus known to the inventor in that the new plant has     double flowers unlike ‘Eastern Star’, has a dark magenta flower with     irregular rose pink splashing in the petal center, and has more     finely textured foliage. The nearest comparison plant would be     co-pending application Ser. No. 12/462,742 ‘Black Cherry Wild’ which     has similar base colored petals but without the rose pink splashing.     The new plant also has deeper dentations in the petals than     co-pending application Ser. No. 12/462,742 ‘Black Cherry Wild’. -   Disease resistance: The new plant is resistant to center die out     from fungus or high temperatures. The plant grows best with adequate     moisture and well-drained soil, but is able to tolerate high     temperatures and some drought once established. Hardiness at least     from USDA zone 4 through zone 9. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks, Dianthus plant named ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ as herein described and illustrated, with long-blooming, fragrant, highly-double flowers, petals with a deep magenta base and irregular rose pink splashing in the center or petal margins, tolerant of high temperatures, resistant to center die-out, and suitable as a garden ornamental, potted plant and for cut flower arrangements. 